This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Update 6/8/16 – The Stow-Away Self Storage project planned for 2111 Lohmans Crossing Road in Lakeway, Texas, was approved by the city council on May 16. The facility will comprise 78,000 square feet on 2.5 acres. As part of negotiations, DeCicco agreed to “revitalize” another property he owns nearby and add additional green space for the city, according to the source.

Jun 08, 2016

Update 6/8/16 – The Stow-Away Self Storage project planned for 2111 Lohmans Crossing Road in Lakeway, Texas, was approved by the city council on May 16. The facility will comprise 78,000 square feet on 2.5 acres. As part of negotiations, DeCicco agreed to “revitalize” another property he owns nearby and add additional green space for the city, according to the source.

The original story about the development project and zoning exception misidentified the city location as Austin.

3/25/16 – Real estate developer Tom DeCicco appears to be a step closer in getting zoning approval to build Stow Away Self Storage on Lohmans Crossing Road in Lakeway, Texas. The city council is modifying a zoning ordinance to allow nonconforming uses, such as self-storage, into C1 commercial areas as long as projects meet specific criteria, according to the source.

The zoning modification comes more than six months after DeCicco proposed to tear down a self-storage facility he owns on Lohmans Spur and replace it with offices. As part of that proposal, the developer wanted to build a new self-storage facility on Lohmans Crossing, south of the Oaks at Lakeway shopping center, the source reported.

DeCicco told the council on Monday he would create green space at the Lohmans Crossing site and distance the storage facility from the street. The facility would also provide an additional 23 parking spaces for shoppers. The site plan includes a driveway connecting Birrell Street on the south side of the shopping center to Lohmans Spur, according to the source.

Part of the city’s stipulation is the design of the self-storage facility will need to conform to commercial-zoning aesthetics. No interior units can be visible and signage will have to be “very unobtrusive.”

“We wanted the wording [of the ordinance] to be specific enough that there aren’t loopholes,” deputy city manager Chessie Zimmerman said. “If we’re going to allow this in a C1 district, it needs to replace a nonconforming use in close proximity to where the [new] use is being proposed. Second, the appearance needs to look and feel like an office building. We have standards in place, but in this project, we would want additional scrutiny and renderings as part of the permit itself, so we know from day one what will be built.”

Councilmember Sandy Cox asked if allowing the self-storage facility as a nonconforming use would set a precedent for other projects, but Zimmerman said the specific wording of the amendment should prevent lesser projects from being built in similar areas.

The zoning modification was only a discussion item. No formal action was taken.